Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QGR2/4/8
  • Title
    Annual Report to the Bedfordshire Michaelmas Sessions from Robert Evan Roberts, Governor of Bedford Gaol.
  • Date free text
    16 October 1866
  • Production date
    From: 1866 To: 1866
  • Scope and Content
    Number of prisoners in custody 132. Statistics of numbers of County & Borough prisoners, number & nature of crimes, numbers from each Petty Sessional Division, committals and recommitals. 55 County Court Debtors. Government Convicts; 49 convicts removed to 10 public works prisons. 4 to Chatham, 36 to Portsmouth, 9 to Millbank.. On the 13th January last the contract between the Directors of Convict Prisons and the Justices of this County terminated. Middlesex prisoners: Since the withdrawal of the Convicts 60 of these prisoners have been received and 16 discharged, 1 has died. There are now 43 in the prison. As a general rule this class of prisoners are disaffected at the change and exhibit much obstinacy of temper, but after a few weeks they become more reconciled to their position. Manufactory: During the year just closed the following were made: 4752 brush mats; 1769 wool bordered mats; 415 mats; 7,122ft of floor matting, 368 yards of calico woven, 40,260 feet of plaiting. The whole of the tailoring, shoemaking and repairs for the establishment including the officers uniform is done within the prison. Government Inspector J G Perry visited nd was unable to certify the old cells i the female side of the prison, and pointed out alterations needed in the punishment cells. Two females [Matilda Gibson & Margaret Wilson]were placed at the expiration of their terms of imprisonment in the female refuge at Dalston, the Visiting Justices kindly aided me in this matter and through the kindness of the Chaplain and Secretary of that Valuable institution I am enabled to state that their behaviour and demeanour is altogether highly satuisfactory and they express their gratitude for the kind interest taken in their behalf. The object of this institution, founded in 1805, is to provide an asylum for young females discharged from prisons and unable from loss of character, extreme indigence and want of friends to procure an honest maintenance in domestic service or other useful and reputable employment. A prisoner, George Turner, when about to be discharged on the 28th August was detected with a portion of the prison property concealed about his person, he was teken before the Magistrates and remanded for a week, the charge was not afterwards pressed in the hope that the imprisonment he has already had would be a caution to him in future, he was discharged out of custody.
  • Level of description
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